TORONTO — Ontario’s premier will issue a formal apology in the provincial legislature today for a 1912 regulation that prohibited teachers in elementary schools from speaking with students in French.

Kathleen Wynne said last December that it would be “very appropriate” for her to offer an official apology on behalf of the Ontario government for Regulation 17, which was enforced for 15 years before it finally fell into abeyance by 1944.

The premier said she wanted to acknowledge that the province’s bilingual heritage wasn’t always respected in the past.

Sudbury Liberal MPP Glenn Thibeault moved a motion in the legislature asking for the official apology to the province’s French-speaking residents.

Antonella Artuso / Toronto Sun / Postmedia Network

Thibeault said it will demonstrate that the government recognizes its past errors and is serious about growing the Franco-Ontarian identity and culture.

New Democrat Gilles Bisson said his party will support the apology because “it doesn’t hurt,” but he called it “much ado about nothing” because the ban on French in Ontario schools hasn’t been enforced in 70 years.

Almost Done!

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.

Postmedia wants to improve your reading experience as well as share the best deals and promotions from our advertisers with you. The information below will be used to optimize the content and make ads across the network more relevant to you. You can always change the information you share with us by editing your profile.

By clicking "Create Account", I hearby grant permission to Postmedia to use my account information to create my account.

I also accept and agree to be bound by Postmedia's Terms and Conditions with respect to my use of the Site and I have read and understand Postmedia's Privacy Statement. I consent to the collection, use, maintenance, and disclosure of my information in accordance with the Postmedia's Privacy Policy.